If you read the print Times Union, you saw yesterday’s front-page story about the alleged on-the-job misdeeds of state wildlife pathologist Ward Stone. If you were out enjoying the lovely weather instead, the story is now available on the Web.

For me, the question it poses is: how badly can a respected public figure (not necessarily a politician) behave before the public no longer respects them? Is “leaving dirty underpants around for co-workers to find” close to that line, or over it?

According to public records obtained by the Times Union and interviews with former colleagues, Stone’s abuse of his position has included (but is not limited to) living in his office without authorization, using state vehicles for personal use, forcing state employees to work on projects for his other jobs, and billing the state for the care and feeding of his pets, including a herd of tame deer that a witness claims Stone killed with an inappropriately small rifle.

Agriculture & Markets food chemist Karen Stephani, who worked under Stone in 2005, sharing a small office, said she was aware of his inappropriate use of staff for his private work and that he used the office as his residence. She said he frequently demeaned people and tried to pump up his own credentials during lengthy staff meetings. She said he seemed to do little work. “What I found so appalling about it, it’s been going on for years and years and is still going on evidently,” she said. “I was shocked it was going on. It’s ridiculous. I don’t believe anybody should be allowed to carry out those kinds of offenses and not be held accountable.”

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